What Do Multimedia Artists and Animators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Multimedia Artists and Animators create special effects, animation, or other visual images using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products or creations, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials. They also design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.

Other tasks include:

• Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
• Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
• Implement and maintain configuration control systems.
• Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.
• Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
• Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows.

We asked Multimedia Artists and Animators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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65% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 28% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Multimedia Artists and Animators create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television. They design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.

A typical day for a Multimedia Artist and Animator will also include:

• Implement and maintain configuration control systems.
• Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer’s proofs.
• Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
• Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.
• Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.

We asked some Multimedia Artists and Animators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	83% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	56% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	77% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	41% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	9% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	59% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Multimedia Artists and Animators also convert real objects to animated objects through modeling, using techniques such as optical scanning. They may also create and install special effects as required by the script, mixing chemicals and fabricating needed parts from wood, metal, plaster, and clay.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Multimedia Artists and Animators Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows. They might also Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.

In addition, they Use models to simulate the behavior of animated objects in the finished sequence.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.

To some Multimedia Artists and Animators, it is also their responsibility to Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.

In a typical work week as a Multimedia Artist and Animator, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/arts-and-design/multimedia-artists-and-animators.htm

http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/

http://www.gamecareerguide.com/